Visual Impairment and Subsequent Use of Support Services Among Older People: Longitudinal Findings From the Blue Mountains Eye Study – Corrected Proof
Purpose: To assess the impact of visual impairment and blindness on the incident use of community support services in the Blue Mountains Eye Study.Design: Population-based cohort.Methods: Of 3654 baseline participants (1992-1994), 2334, 1952, and 1149 were re-examined after 5, 10, and 15 years, respectively. Incident visual impairment was defined as subsequent development of visual impairment (visual acuity <20/40) in the better eye of subjects with best-corrected visual acuity ≥20/40 at baseline. Community support service use included regular use of Meals on Wheels, Home Care, or community nurse services. Informal support included assistance from family or friends. Discrete logistic regression models (Read more...)